I don’t know how skeptical you all are, but here is a statement from the Taipei Water Department.
The High Quality of Tap Water
The water supplied by TWD is definitely safe for drinking. The quality of TWD’s water supply is as good if not better than that in the advanced countries. To ensure high standards of water quality at points of use, TWD regularly takes samples of tap water from users’ premises and analyzes them at its laboratory. The lab is well equipped with sophisticated instruments and staffed with professional hands, and is the first of its kind in Taiwan to be certified by the R.O.C. Environmental Protection Agency as a qualified water examination laboratory.
TWD established its Automatic Water Quality Monitoring System in 1985 along with the initiation of the Safe Drinking Water Program. The system has enabled TWD to monitor the water quality in the raw water intakes, in the treatment process at its purification plant, and in the distribution system. Consequently, it ensures the quality of water supply and enhances TWD’s credibility.
TWD also takes water samples from all water sources, Feitsui Reservoir, treatment plants, and consumers’ premises for analysis at our well-equipped laboratory. All test data has proved that the water quality in Taipei is in good condition.
In June 1999, with the warm help of the Taipei Mass Transit Corporation, this Department put dozens of tap water drinking fountains at 39 mass transit stations in operation, as well as the first Water Quality Instant Monitoring Screen in R.O.C. at Taipei Main Station. The Department plans to make tap water potable at all public places, and wishes all residents to get used to drinking water directly from the tap.
If you live in the Taipei Metropolis and have a concern regarding your tap water, please feel free to call us. Our telephone number is 8733-5678 and we will answer your questions on the phone or make a field survey and examine the water quality for you. The service is free of charge.
To ensure the potable quality of its water supply to customers, the Taipei Water Department has set up laboratories at its Water Quality Center to perform regular testing on quality of samples taken from raw water sources, various units in the filtration process, and specific points in the distribution pipe network (such as booster stations, service reservoirs, schools, public places, metro stations, and ordinary households) and to conduct trend analyses on water quality readings.
TWD inaugurated its computerized water quality monitoring system in July 1983 to ensure healthful drinking and the stability of its water quality. The focus in the early stages was on raw water turbidity, the pH value of coagulated water, turbidity and residual chlorine of water output, as well as residual chlorine of water at over 20 specific points in Taipei City. All treatment plants were required to transmit water quality readings (including those obtained at the plants and others acquired at remote monitoring stations) to this Center via exclusive digital lines for overall monitoring and control. Thanks to constant R&D and improvement efforts by TWD’s professional staff, the system has since then witnessed successive upgrades and expansions to meet increasing requirements in different stages. Currently, the Center monitors readings of more than 520 water quality items across TWD’s service area. Chemical feeding operation has also reached a high degree of automation. In short, the system has provided TWD with comprehensive, automatic monitoring and control of water quality.
- Water Quality Monitoring Center
- Offices of Water Quality Monitoring Center
- Briefing Room of Water Quality Monitoring Center
Safe and Delicious Water
You may cast a doubtful eye on this long process of water distribution, wondering if water could be contaminated en route. However, TWD’s findings from water quality inspection at end users’ places over the years show a passing rate as high as 99.95%. Most of the failed cases can be attributed to long water retention or poor maintenance of household water facilities on the part of users. There is no need to install a purifier in private households, and a contaminated purification medium might even worsen tap water quality. All that you should do is to hire a qualified water tank/tower cleaning firm to clean your water tank and tower at least once a year
The tap water drinking fountain at a MRT station of Taipei Main Station.
The first real time Water Quality Monitoring Screen in ROC at Taipei Main Station.
The tap water drinking fountain at a MRT station of Taipei Main Station.
The first real time Water Quality Monitoring Screen in ROC at Taipei Main Station.
The tap water drinking fountain at Chunghsiao Elementary School.
The tap water drinking fountain at Zongshiao Elementary School.
Hit: 9162
Updated: 2011-11-01 11:05
Reviewed: 2011-12-14 14:36
Source: Taipei Water Department
english.twd.gov.tw/ct.asp?xItem= … &mp=114012
